Dave Tindall

Across the Pond

Turkish Airlines Open Preview

We’re approaching the finishing line now on the Race to Dubai and the final stretch continues with this week’s Turkish Airlines Open.

This is the fifth leg of the European Tour’s Rolex Series – the premium tournament category – and, once more, there’s a $7million purse up for grabs.

The field comprises the leading 70 players from the Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters, four tournament invitations and, in a bid to promote golf in Turkey, three locals.

That leaves WGC-HSBC Champions winner Justin Rose (third) and Tyrrell Hatton (fifth) as his nearest rivals with just this event, the Nedbank Golf Challenge and the concluding DP World Tour Championship to come.

For the second year running, Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort plays host.

Thorbjorn Olesen scored a three-shot victory last year although his seven-shot lead after 54 holes was whittled down to a single stroke by David Horsey at one point before the Dane kicked clear again.

The Course – Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort

The course is set in a pine forest and inspired by the classic heathland courses found in the UK. The par 71 measures 7,159 yards and features water on holes 5, 6, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 18. Despite the rough being described as penal last year, it yielded plenty of birdies and the large, undulating greens were pretty easy to hit with virtually everybody in the top 20 finishers pelting 75% or more. The greens are Bermuda Tiff Eagle overseeded with Poa Trivialis.

A season set to be defined by his near-miss at The Masters is now something very different after Rose plonked a WGC trophy on the table after coming from eight back on the final day to reel in Dustin Johnson and land the HSBC Champions. It had been coming after three T10s and a second place in the FedExCup Playoffs and Rose should still have plenty in the tank after taking a month off prior to China. He just so happens to like Turkey too after a third in this event in 2013 and a win at the 2012 Turkish Airlines World Golf Final – an unofficial matchplay event which included Tiger and Rory. Third for GIR last week.

Stenson admitted he arrived at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China looking for form and “some answers” after six weeks off and he got plenty by finishing T2, just two shots behind winner Justin Rose. It moved him to 11th on the Race to Dubai and he’s also signed up for the next few weeks (Nedbank and Dubai) so he’ll be looking to get as much out of this stretch as possible. As with Rose, it’s his debut at Carya but in two previous starts in this event he’s posted a seventh (2013) and a third (2014). Topped the Driving Accuracy stats last week and was third for GIR.

For the second year running, Hatton arrives in Turkey ranked fifth on the Race to Dubai and he’s been one of the stars of the European Tour over the last two months. After a run of six missed cuts out of seven, he’s since gone 3-8-1-1-11 over his latest five starts, those wins coming in back-to-back weeks at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Italian Open. A T10 at this venue last year boosts his appeal further while he was T26 and T19 at the previous host course (Montgomerie Maxx). Scrambling and putting exceptionally well at the moment.

He’s still got a big lead at the top of the Race to Dubai (1st Fleetwood 4,050,351, 2nd Garcia 3,184,582, 3rd Rose 2,993,754) but with plenty of points up for grabs down this closing straight he may well have to throw in another big one to end the season as Europe’s No. 1. Fleetwood has kept the cash coming win with T6 at the Italian Open and T20 at the HSBC Champions and fired 67-68 on the weekend to finish T22 at Carya last year. That’s his best in four starts in the Turkish Airlines Open.

Matt Fitzpatrick

A presence on the leaderboard all week in China, Fitzpatrick eventually posted T9 at the WGC-HSBC and that’s now five top 15s on the spin for the Englishman – a run started with victory at the European Masters. He always seems to thrive at this time of year and his GIR and Scrambling numbers have taken a leap forward to help drive that improved form. The youngster was T26 in his only start at this event in 2015 although he did shoot a 63 in his second round at the Montgomerie Maxx.

If anyone is approaching ‘course horse’ status at Carya, it’s Wiesberger. As well as last year’s event, it also staged a Challenge Tour tournament in 2010. The Austrian was T8 in that and then fired 66-70-66-67 for T4 here 12 months ago. After looking a little off the pace recently, he secured a morale-boosting top 10 finish (T9) at the WGC-HSBC Champions on Sunday and was ranked first for GIR. Currently 12th on the Race to Dubai so will want to grab a straight third finish in the season-long battle after taking 9th in both 2015 and 2016.

There’s absolutely no excuse not to spell his name correctly now as we’re seeing it displayed prominently on leaderboards just about every week. After capping off a run of five top 20s in six starts with second place in the Italian Open, the Thai opened with a 65 in the WGC-HSBC Champions before fading on the weekend to finish T24. Still a decent knock though and it nudged him up to 22nd on the Race to Dubai. Third at the Montgomerie Maxx in 2015, Aphibarnrat closed 67-69-70 at Carya to hoist up T25 in last year’s Turkish Airlines Open.

Deserves his place in the top 10 in the betting due to a nice combination of converging trends. The South African shot 64-73-66-67 to finish fifth at this week’s venue 12 months ago and was also T12 on his first start in the event in 2013. As for recent form, he has bags of it. Coetzee wobbled in July and came back with a missed cut in Switzerland but since then he’s gone 3-7-15-47-6 and moved up to 43rd in the Race to Dubai.

A rather average season for the Dutchman could have a big ending. After dropping hints with T12 in Portugal, he was the only player to really push Sergio Garcia at Valderrama and eventually secured second place thanks to bookend 66s. Having cracked the top 15 on the Race to Dubai in three of the last four seasons, his 31st spot still needs improving though and keeping his putter hot after a dip probably holds the key. Luiten had two top 25s at the Montgomerie Maxx but, like many near the front of the betting, he’s seeing Carya for the first time.

The Irishman improved his finish each time in three starts at the Montgomerie Maxx (44-25-8) before skipping this event last year when the course changed. An emphasis on short-game skills should play into his hands though and the nods to heathland UK courses also bodes well. Lowry has a pair of top sevens, T12, T25 and T29 in his last half-dozen starts so gives the impression that there’s a big one coming soon. Sixth for Scrambling and fourth for Putting Average at Valderrama last time.

We’re approaching the finishing line now on the Race to Dubai and the final stretch continues with this week’s Turkish Airlines Open.

This is the fifth leg of the European Tour’s Rolex Series – the premium tournament category – and, once more, there’s a $7million purse up for grabs.

The field comprises the leading 70 players from the Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters, four tournament invitations and, in a bid to promote golf in Turkey, three locals.

That leaves WGC-HSBC Champions winner Justin Rose (third) and Tyrrell Hatton (fifth) as his nearest rivals with just this event, the Nedbank Golf Challenge and the concluding DP World Tour Championship to come.

For the second year running, Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort plays host.

Thorbjorn Olesen scored a three-shot victory last year although his seven-shot lead after 54 holes was whittled down to a single stroke by David Horsey at one point before the Dane kicked clear again.

The Course – Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort

The course is set in a pine forest and inspired by the classic heathland courses found in the UK. The par 71 measures 7,159 yards and features water on holes 5, 6, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 18. Despite the rough being described as penal last year, it yielded plenty of birdies and the large, undulating greens were pretty easy to hit with virtually everybody in the top 20 finishers pelting 75% or more. The greens are Bermuda Tiff Eagle overseeded with Poa Trivialis.

A season set to be defined by his near-miss at The Masters is now something very different after Rose plonked a WGC trophy on the table after coming from eight back on the final day to reel in Dustin Johnson and land the HSBC Champions. It had been coming after three T10s and a second place in the FedExCup Playoffs and Rose should still have plenty in the tank after taking a month off prior to China. He just so happens to like Turkey too after a third in this event in 2013 and a win at the 2012 Turkish Airlines World Golf Final – an unofficial matchplay event which included Tiger and Rory. Third for GIR last week.

Stenson admitted he arrived at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China looking for form and “some answers” after six weeks off and he got plenty by finishing T2, just two shots behind winner Justin Rose. It moved him to 11th on the Race to Dubai and he’s also signed up for the next few weeks (Nedbank and Dubai) so he’ll be looking to get as much out of this stretch as possible. As with Rose, it’s his debut at Carya but in two previous starts in this event he’s posted a seventh (2013) and a third (2014). Topped the Driving Accuracy stats last week and was third for GIR.

For the second year running, Hatton arrives in Turkey ranked fifth on the Race to Dubai and he’s been one of the stars of the European Tour over the last two months. After a run of six missed cuts out of seven, he’s since gone 3-8-1-1-11 over his latest five starts, those wins coming in back-to-back weeks at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Italian Open. A T10 at this venue last year boosts his appeal further while he was T26 and T19 at the previous host course (Montgomerie Maxx). Scrambling and putting exceptionally well at the moment.

He’s still got a big lead at the top of the Race to Dubai (1st Fleetwood 4,050,351, 2nd Garcia 3,184,582, 3rd Rose 2,993,754) but with plenty of points up for grabs down this closing straight he may well have to throw in another big one to end the season as Europe’s No. 1. Fleetwood has kept the cash coming win with T6 at the Italian Open and T20 at the HSBC Champions and fired 67-68 on the weekend to finish T22 at Carya last year. That’s his best in four starts in the Turkish Airlines Open.

Matt Fitzpatrick

A presence on the leaderboard all week in China, Fitzpatrick eventually posted T9 at the WGC-HSBC and that’s now five top 15s on the spin for the Englishman – a run started with victory at the European Masters. He always seems to thrive at this time of year and his GIR and Scrambling numbers have taken a leap forward to help drive that improved form. The youngster was T26 in his only start at this event in 2015 although he did shoot a 63 in his second round at the Montgomerie Maxx.

If anyone is approaching ‘course horse’ status at Carya, it’s Wiesberger. As well as last year’s event, it also staged a Challenge Tour tournament in 2010. The Austrian was T8 in that and then fired 66-70-66-67 for T4 here 12 months ago. After looking a little off the pace recently, he secured a morale-boosting top 10 finish (T9) at the WGC-HSBC Champions on Sunday and was ranked first for GIR. Currently 12th on the Race to Dubai so will want to grab a straight third finish in the season-long battle after taking 9th in both 2015 and 2016.

There’s absolutely no excuse not to spell his name correctly now as we’re seeing it displayed prominently on leaderboards just about every week. After capping off a run of five top 20s in six starts with second place in the Italian Open, the Thai opened with a 65 in the WGC-HSBC Champions before fading on the weekend to finish T24. Still a decent knock though and it nudged him up to 22nd on the Race to Dubai. Third at the Montgomerie Maxx in 2015, Aphibarnrat closed 67-69-70 at Carya to hoist up T25 in last year’s Turkish Airlines Open.

Deserves his place in the top 10 in the betting due to a nice combination of converging trends. The South African shot 64-73-66-67 to finish fifth at this week’s venue 12 months ago and was also T12 on his first start in the event in 2013. As for recent form, he has bags of it. Coetzee wobbled in July and came back with a missed cut in Switzerland but since then he’s gone 3-7-15-47-6 and moved up to 43rd in the Race to Dubai.

A rather average season for the Dutchman could have a big ending. After dropping hints with T12 in Portugal, he was the only player to really push Sergio Garcia at Valderrama and eventually secured second place thanks to bookend 66s. Having cracked the top 15 on the Race to Dubai in three of the last four seasons, his 31st spot still needs improving though and keeping his putter hot after a dip probably holds the key. Luiten had two top 25s at the Montgomerie Maxx but, like many near the front of the betting, he’s seeing Carya for the first time.

The Irishman improved his finish each time in three starts at the Montgomerie Maxx (44-25-8) before skipping this event last year when the course changed. An emphasis on short-game skills should play into his hands though and the nods to heathland UK courses also bodes well. Lowry has a pair of top sevens, T12, T25 and T29 in his last half-dozen starts so gives the impression that there’s a big one coming soon. Sixth for Scrambling and fourth for Putting Average at Valderrama last time.

A Web.com win in Ohio in early September gave Uihlein another boost after his impressive second place in the Open de France at Le Golf National (next year’s Ryder Cup venue). And after taking T10 at the CIMB Classic followed by T5 in last week’s WGC-HSBC Champions in China, there’s a growing feeling that Uihlein is a man to have onside over the next few weeks. That feeling is strengthened by T11 and T6 in this event at the Montgomerie Maxx in 2014 and 2015. Top for Scrambling at the HSBC.

Poulter’s attempt to work his way back into the world’s top 50 to punch his ticket for the WGC-HSBC Champions came up short but his play continues to be solid. He’s played all four rounds in his last 17 starts and the latest three include T11 in the British Masters and T15 in the CJ CUP @ Nine Bridges in South Korea two weeks ago. He’s another first-timer at Carya so will hope to thrive just as much as he did at the Montgomerie Maxx where his posted 5-2-16 in three Turkish Airlines Open appearances from 2013-2015.

An excellent run of form, highlighted by a win in the British Masters, meant Dunne got to mix it with the big guns in China last week. Having ended 2016 ranked 275th in the world, he’s now up to 80th. On the Race to Dubai, his efforts have carried him to 14th and the top 10 is within sight. This is his first appearance in the event but watch out for him on the early leaderboard. Dunne has opened with 67 in his last three starts and posted a first-round 66 on the way to his British Masters win.

Like George Coetzee, Horsey has a hugely appealing mix of current and course form this week. The Englishman was the runner-up to Thorbjorn Olesen at Carya last year after opening with a pair of 67s, adding a Saturday 68 and shooting an outward 29 in a closing 65. He went one better than that final round, not once but twice, when firing Friday and Sunday 64s to take T6 in the Italian Open two weeks ago. That followed some solid form after a second place in the Made In Denmark.

Soren Kjeldsen

The Dane has connected three top 25s now after T18 at Valderrama two weeks ago although gamers probably expected more from him in Spain given that the short and narrow Spanish track is made for him. Kjeldsen does have some course experience here after shooting 69-72-68-70 last year to take T31 while he closed with a 66 to take T11 at the Montgomerie Maxx in 2015. A first thought, somewhat hard to shake off, is that he’ll be neat and tidy and probably finish around T15.

The double major winner resides outside the world’s top 50 these days (79th) so didn’t get a place in last week’s WGC event in China. T16 at the Masters, his best ever performance there, could have acted as a springboard but he hasn’t had a top 15 since and the so-so form continued with T27 at Valderrama. Taking the class is permanent, form is temporary approach is proving costly for gamers waiting on the German finding a spark. T25 and T60 in this event which he last played in 2014.

While Kaymer can’t find a top 10, Pepperell is unearthing them everywhere he goes. The Englishman has five in his last six (5-3-3-MC-7-10) and all those were in September and October. It’s his first start at this track but he enjoyed his last trip to Turkey when T10 at the Montgomerie Maxx in 2014. If it’s a form horse you want, look no further.

Trying to decide which Victor, if any, will turn up is a weekly guessing game and some managers will just strike a line through him and rule the former Ryder Cup star as too great a risk. And yet…. Dubuisson has a habit of coming to life at this time of year and he followed T12 in Portugal with T3 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship earlier this month to vault to 73rd on the Race to Dubai and within smelling distance of the top 60. And, of course, this event is extra special for him given that he won it twice (his only two European Tour wins) at the Montgomerie Maxx in 2013 and 2015. The fact that he only managed T47 at Carya last year may be the deciding factor for some but it would be no surprise if he pulls something out of the hat again.

Dubuisson’s far more reliable compatriot Levy is always worth looking at when the birdie count is high. He enjoyed the Montgomerie Maxx, finishing T11 and T18, and added T25 here at Carya last year. However, his round scores of 72-74-67-65 suggested he’d worked something out on the weekend and T31 at the WGC-HSBC added to T26 in the Italian Open and T7 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Also, the carrot of trying to make the 2018 Ryder Cup in his native France remains a powerful force.

Thorbjorn Olesen

The defending champion has recorded three of his four European Tour wins in October/November and they’ve all come in the last three seasons so keep a close eye. That said, his form when defending titles is DNP-50-MC although that also nods to his inconsistency. The Dane opened 65-62 to take this tournament by the scruff of the neck last year and it’s worth noting that he’d played the course before when taking T43 in the Challenge Tour event held there in 2010. A negative? Just one finish inside the top 30 in his last five starts and nothing jumping out stats-wise.

The giant Englishman had two good finishes in this event at the Montgomerie Maxx with T15 on debut in 2013 and T5 in 2015. Ahead of his first look at Carya, Wood was T26 at the British Masters last time (now four weeks ago) and T9 in the KLM Open in mid-September. He made the top 10 in Scrambling at both events so be well equipped for this course although it may be hard to find a place for him in the European Tour’s Official Fantasy game six-man team.

Playing better than his price suggests. Rock has teed it up three times in October and taken fourth place in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and T8 at Valderrama. Was T22 with a round to go here last year before falling outside the top 50.

Cracked the top 10 here last year (T9) after a strong weekend so could bounce back from recent dip and show the form he displayed when following T7 in the Portugal Masters with T11 in the British Masters.

Pablo Larrazabal

Hit back from six MCs in eight starts with T12 in his home Andalucia Valderrama Masters. Shot four rounds in the 60s to finish T8 here in 2016.

Didn’t play here last year but does know Carya from his Challenge Tour days and came T56 in 2010. Olesen benefitted from similar 2010 display to win last year. Jamieson heads to Turkey after T6 in Italian Open.

Three top 10s in last nine starts including T10 at the Italian Open two starts ago. Opened with twin 71s in China last week before going south on the weekend. Has eight rounds under his belt at Carya, four of those under par.

Being written off here and R4 82 at the HSBC doesn’t look pretty. But Lipsky was T21 in the CIMB and has form in Turkey of 15-20-6, that top six coming on this course last year.

Who’s On The Team?

It’s tough to look beyond the big names and wins for Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia and Justin Thomas in different parts of the globe over the last few weeks is a reminder that the elite players don’t take their foot off the gas during this part of the season.

In fact, you can argue the very opposite is true.

That’s why I doubt if my six-man line-up for the official European Tour Fantasy game will contain too many surprises although check Tuesday’s Playing The Tips feature to find out.

Justin Rose has won back-to-back before although he did have a week off between his triumphs at the Quicken Loans and Scottish Open in 2014.

However, he played without much stress last week so should be up there again, as should Henrik Stenson.